The Fool's Strike
by iEvenstarEstel
Summary: Set in the Triptychverse. An old enemy returns, out for revenge, and one of the Temple family faces ultimate danger. This follows after my other Triptychverse tale The Leap Year. A very belated birthday prezzy for Prehistoric Cat!
1. Chapter 1

The Fool's Strike  
2012 Evenstar Estel

"Daddy, up please?" little Leia Temple asked of her father. Bright eyed, a little pudgy with thick strands of dark hair and a dimple in her left cheek, she was every bit the Connors' daughter. Her nose however was Abby's and so were the vibrant blue eyes that Connor looked down to meet. At only three years old she was rather perceptive and well spoken, not to mention incredibly cute. Connor reached down and scooped his darling up into his arms and held her against his chest as her chubby little legs and arms wrapped themselves securely around his body. She kissed his cheek and lay her head on his shoulder. He gave her an affectionate squeeze and brushed his cheek across the top of her head.

"Feeling tired, Princess?" he asked, to which she nodded in affirmation. "Nearly home now my sweet. Papa said he'd make us Shepherd's Pie for supper."

"No peas!"

"Right, no peas. I promise you there won't be a pea within one hundred miles of your plate."

Connor continued to walk down the street in the early evening of late September. He'd decided to take their daughter out of the house for a bit so that Eye Patch could cook and Abby could work on her proposal for the zoo's expansion without their toddler getting underfoot. He'd been cooped up all week with a mild head cold and it was time to see to his cabin fever and get some fresh air. They'd gone to the playground at the park, then swung by the chemist's to get him something to dull the lingering sore throat he had. He was grateful no one else in the household had gotten sick. He'd kept his distance from them, despite his husband and wife's protests. He'd also not had any proper Leia cuddles for some time and was revelling in them now.

They were a good half hour's walk from home and it was starting to get dark. He wished he'd thought to wear a jacket and shivered at the slight chill in the air. Leia wore a woolen jumper and so long as it didn't rain she'd be warm enough.

Connor stopped short as a woman passed in front of him and stopped in his path. "Excuse me," he spoke, trying to circumvent her. She turned around and smirked at him. There was a wicked gleam in her eye he recognized, as well as her face. "April?"

"Why hello Connor, fancy running into you and your... precious, vulnerable little girl," April preened. Two large men stepped out from where they'd been lurking, flanking April on either side.

Leia hid her face at her father's neck and whispered in his ear, "Bad lady, Daddy."

Connor tightened his hold on his daughter, forcing himself not to show his very real fear. He'd never particularly liked or trusted April when she'd been working at the ARC as one of the former Prospero staff that had been kept on in the wake of Burton's dismissal and death. She'd been a lab assistant as well useful with her mathematical skills in working out a few of his theories he didn't have time for. However on a fateful day back in May of the previous year, she'd shown her true motivation. She was loyal to the mercifully dead Philip Burton and like him, she wanted to exploit the anomalies. Connor had more or less told her she was out of a job and he'd not seen her since.

"Tell me what you want, April," Connor spoke evenly. One of her henchmen cracked his knuckles. Where she'd got the two goons he had no idea, but the last thing he wanted to do was have to engage them in any way, shape or form, especially with Leia present.

"Quite simple, really. I need you to come with me. You'll be quite alright by the end of it, promise." She winked at him and he bit the inside of his cheek to keep from rolling his eyes. She was playing at being a femme fatale, dressed head to toe in black, but came off as ludicrous and rather insipid. "I've set up a lab for you, nearly identical to the one you have at the ARC. You'll work for me as long as it takes - I need you to open an anomaly."

"To where pray tell? Fancy a vacation in the Cretaceous?"

"Now, now Connor, there's no need to be flip. I'm approaching you in a civilized manner, you should give me the same courtesy. Philip Burton was killed by Captain Becker and his men. I want to go back and rescue him."

Connor gave himself a mental pat on the back for not bursting out laughing or gaping like a fish out of water. He remained stone faced while Leia urged him to get them away by tensing her little fingers into the muscles of his shoulders. Philip Burton had orchestrated a heinous kidnapping and violation of his beloved, scarred Connor. Being filled with bullets was a mercy compared to what he and Abby had wanted to do. Connor looked between the two men and back to April.

"Think about it Connor, I've been following you for quite some time, waiting until you and your little poppet here were alone. We wouldn't want the child to witness any violence, would we?" April crooned, all the while smiling through her teeth like the snake she was. "Nor would we want her to get hurt herself. Little bones break so easily."

Something dark came over Connor in that instance. How dare she threaten his child! He wanted to reach right out and strangle April. Instead, he took the most logical course of action, he turned and ran as fast as humanly possible.

He heard April shout her orders at her hired muscle, but he didn't look back. Between the residential area he was fleeing and the shops was the park. If he could get himself into a public place there'd be less of a chance they'd attack him. Of course if they caught up with him beforehand, he and Leia would be in grave peril. He was fast, but the other two were bigger, with much longer legs and not carrying the weight of a child. He cursed under his breath and ran into the park.

Surrounded by trees and bushes, Connor made a agonizing choice. He scanned for the densest cropping of rhododendrons he he could find and dashed into them. He knew April wouldn't give up until he was caught, but if they got Leia too, he'd never forgive himself. He chanted apologies to Leia as he set her down and stripped off his overshirt, putting it on over her head. He took out his mobile and turned off the ringer and vibrate setting, then quickly sent a text. He pressed the phone into Leia's hand and kissed her cheek. She looked at him with tears in her eyes and her bottom lip trembling.

"Princess, you have to listen and do what Daddy says," Connor explained, his voice catching as he choked on the words. "You need to stay here and stay hidden and not come out unless you see Mummy or Papa, understand?"

She nodded as her face dissolved into tears and panic. He kissed her again. "Do this for me, baby, you have to," he pleaded. "You have to stay hidden, no matter what. The bad lady will hurt you and that can't happen. Please don't be scared when it gets dark, it'll be ok. Mummy and Papa will find you, Daddy promises."

He heard April's shrill voice in the distance and he knew he had only seconds to spare. He kissed her again and quickly emerged from the bushes. He jogged towards the direction he heard the voices and waited. He was met by a large meaty fist slamming into the side of his face. Connor staggered back and fell to the ground. Next came a swift kick to the ribs and he cried out.

"Don't hurt him too much, he needs to work," April said. "Find that brat of his. That's an order!"

Connor lay on the ground sputtering, clutching his side. He prayed they'd not find Leia. The sun was already setting and in minutes this part of the park would be in complete darkness. Ten minutes later, Leia had still not been found. He kept his eyes downwards and kept praying. There was rustling near where Leia was hidden and Connor nearly broke as the two henchmen hovered right in front of where his daughter was. When two squirrels came running out and up a tree, Connor breathed a sigh of relief.

"Enough!" April roared. "We've got what we came for, leave the child. With any luck she'll get eaten by raccoons. Pick him up."

As Connor was dragged away he began to weep. His baby was alone and scared and there was nothing he could do. He'd left her, abandoned her. He knew he'd never be forgiven for what he'd just done, but he believed that if driven to it, or perhaps in a fit of pique, April could kill. He didn't know what was in store for him, and he didn't particularly care so long as Leia wasn't harmed. He willed his thoughts out to Abby and Connor. He hope his text message did the trick.

!*!*!

"Abbs? Something the matter?" Eye Patch asked as he continued to fix dinner, setting the carrots in the pot to steam before he prepared the gravy. Abby had been staring off into space whilst seated at the kitchen table with her papers in front of her.

"Hmm? Oh, I dunno," she replied, her brow furrowing. "Ever get that weird feeling that something's not right but you can't put your finger on it? What does Connor call it? I disturbance in the Force. How ridiculous."

"Well, I get what you're saying. He'll be proud you used a Star Wars metaphor though."

"You don't feel it, huh?"

"Would it surprise you if I said I always feel like something's not right? Maybe it's because I'm not from this dimension originally, or because of the life I've lead, but there's always a sense of dread in the back of my mind. I'm better than I was, since Leia was born especially, but sometimes when my mind goes quiet, I get that fear rising up inside me that I'm gonna lose all of you somehow. I try not to think about it, try and ignore it. It's nothing a kiss from you or Connor won't push aside for a while."

She smiled and rose, walking the short distance into his arms. They kissed and held each other for a moment. Abby fingers toyed with the hairs at the nape of his neck as she dotted kisses over his face and his scarred, blind eye. He sighed and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist.

"So tell me what you're thinking, Abby."

She sighed and shrugged. "I just have this funny feeling. For one Connor and Leia should've been home by now. I know he'll take good care of her and she'll not give him any trouble either. But like you, I just feel so much better when we're all together."

"You're right though. It is getting late. I'm sure they'll be home soon enough."

She nodded and sighed. She wrapped her arms around her husband's neck and they kissed again, this time slowly, savouring the soft caress of tongues and lips. A tune began to hum in Eye Patch's back pocket and Abby laughed. "Is that the Rebel Alliance in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?"

"Ha ha, very funny." He reached into his back pocket for his mobile. "That'll be Connor texting."

The second Eye Patch read the text, the unease that Abby felt came over him too.

Abby saw his face darken and felt his body tense. "Connor? Something's wrong, isn't it?"

He showed her, there in plain letters on the screen, the text from their husband. Four letters that spoke volumes.

_help_

Her arms fell from around his neck and her entire body began to shake. "Oh god. It's Leia. Something's happened to our baby!" Abby gasped. Her maternal instincts flared and she felt the connection to their daughter. There was fear, unbearable, soul-snatching fear. Her heart began to thud in her chest and her breathing quickened.

"Connor!" she exclaimed, but it wasn't a cry for the man with her. It was for her younger Connor, the first man she'd ever loved. She gripped the edge of the table and willed herself to keep her wits about her as the sensations of dread and terror flowed through her.

Fortunately Eye Patch overcame his own fears and fell back on the instincts that had been driven home to him after years of living in an apocalyptic world overrun by Future Predators. Action was what the situation called for and he followed suit. He was on the phone to the ARC seconds later, demanding Connor's mobile's location be traced, explaining that his family was in danger and to have the location texted to him as soon as it was found. He asked that Danny, Becker and his men meet them there, and explained that he and Abby would retrace Connor's steps. They'd known he was taking Leia to the park.

"Abby, come on, keep it together," he state firmly, snapping her out of her increasingly panicked state. He grabbed her wrist, whistled for the dogs and he ushered her to the door. Abby gave her head a shake and followed as he tossed her leather jacket at her and grabbed the keys to their car.

They sped through the streets towards the park. They'd make that their starting point. The park was fairly vast and parts of it were practically forest. All sorts of nightmare scenarios were running through their heads. Had Connor been mugged in the park? Was he laying bleeding somewhere with Leia by her wounded, unresponsive father? Or had someone snatched their baby and left Connor for dead? Abby looked at her husband and the tightness of his jaw and the barely contained tears in his eyes. Connor, herself and their daughter was all he lived for. If anything happened to any one of them, he'd be destroyed. Just as she would be too. Her arms ached to hold her little girl and the ache in her chest made it difficult to breathe.

Eye Patch pulled the car up to the south entrance of the park and came to a halt with a loud screech of the tires. He and Abby got out quickly and the dogs along with them. As he went to the boot of the car to fetch the torch Eye Patch's phone pinged with the ringtone that signaled a text had come in from the ARC. Abby was at his side a moment later as he took out his phone.

"The phone's here in the park, due west then down the north path that leads to the botanical garden," he explained as he interpreted the co-ordinates he'd been sent. Abby had grabbed the blanket from Leia's car seat in the back and Eye Patch took it from her, kneeling down to Georgia and Eva. Both dogs buried their nose it in and sniffed, knowing the scent of their little pup. "Go find her!"

Eva, smart and full of understanding gave Connor a yip of affirmation and took off into the darkness with Georgia hot on her heels. Eye Patch grabbed Abby by the hand and together they ran into the park after the dogs. The further they went into the park, the darker and scarier it looked. Abby had tears running down her cheeks and her vision blurred as she scanned the thick brush for her husband and daughter. The canopy of trees above seemed oppressive with their heavy leaves that had yet to turn their fall colours. Everything seemed to cage them in and turn them about.

The dogs were well ahead of them and they felt blind and helpless as they searched. The torch was practically useless, revealing only more thick conclaves of buses and undergrowth. Above them they heard scuttling in the trees and for a split second the elder Connor flashed to an image of Future Predators in his mind. He quickly gave his head a shake, telling himself that it was only his imagination running wild and above them there was nothing more than nesting birds and squirrels.

In the distance they heard a dog bark. Eye Patch recogned it as Eva's. The parents broke into a sprint, both praying for a miracle that their family had been found.

"Leia!" Eye Patch shouted down the path. "Leia, answer Papa!"

"Leia!" Abby echoed. "It's Mummy! Connor!"

"Connor! Leia!"

They heard Eva's bark again then a sudden great cry out that expanded into full fledged sobs. Eye Patch let go of Abby's hand and ran as fast as his feet could carry him. Ahead he saw Eva's tail wagging as it stuck out from behind a rhododendron. There was no doubt who was crying from behind the bushes and Connor dove into the thick of it.

He burst into tears as he shone the light down and saw his baby girl. "Leia!" he exclaimed, dropping the torch and scooping up the crying child. Her sobs turned into screams as she purged herself of cold, dark terror she'd been left in. She'd done as her Daddy had told her and stayed where he'd left her. She'd kept an iron grip on his phone and huddled in his shirt. Every second had been pure torture and now that her Papa held her, she could finally let out everything she'd been holding back.

"My baby!" Abby cried, rushing to them as Eye Patch emerged from the bushes. "My baby! Leia!"

"Mummy!" Leia sobbed, erupting into great heaving cries as she launched herself into Abby's open arms. The two held each other in a fierce grip and cried together. Leia was still in an awful state and continued her hysterical crying as Abby covered her face in kisses and tried to soothe her. Eye Patch wrapped his arms around both his girls and cocooned Leia between his Abby's bodies, kissing away her tears and stroking her hair.

The little family were still weeping and holding each other when Danny, Becker and the soldiers arrived on the scene. Abby was too distracted with comforting her daughter to listen as her older Connor relayed what had happened in the moments before help from the ARC had arrived. Connor's phone was retrieved from where Leia had dropped it, and aside from the text that was sent, there were no other clues to be found, save for one. Georgia rumbled and whinged until Eye Patch walked to where she was seated. Becker passed him a torch and there before Georgia's paw on the ground were a few drops of blood and the discarded bottle of cough syrup in the bag from the chemist's. Something had happened to Connor, that much was clear. He'd have never left Leia voluntarily, but obviously he'd taken precautions to assist in her being found. Furthermore, he'd given her his shirt to keep her warm.

Something terrible had happened and the only witness to what had occurred was a traumatized toddler.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Connor supposed he shouldn't have been too surprised that his kidnapping was playing out like a bad movie. April was pretty tacky to begin with and her plan was proving to be just as lame. The problem was that even in films, the kidnapped person usually had a rough go of it before help came. His thoughts were predominantly focused on Leia. He had faith that Connor and Abby would've found her, he truly did, but he didn't _know_ for certain and that left an empty, sick feeling in his guts.

They'd corralled him and stuffed him in the back of a van. One of the two burly goons drove and the other bound Connor's wrists and put a sack over his head. He'd more or less tuned out April's inane chatter about Philip Burton and anomalies. He feigned still being dazed from the blow to his head. His ribs ached terribly, though he didn't think they'd been broken, perhaps only cracked. He knew he could expect to be roughed up more before this escapade came to an end. As he'd learned well enough from his counterpart, the body would heal itself in time and even if scars remained, all that mattered was keeping your head, and keeping love and hope in your heart. He'd lead by his Connor's example and be certain to give him the snog of a lifetime to thank him for it when the time came.

They hurried through the London streets, April occasionally cursing when the rush hour traffic slowed their progress to wherever they were taking him. He tried to be smart and listen to the sounds around him, but all his thoughts kept coming back to his daughter, and what Abby and their Connor must think of him for abandoning her as he had. It was an ugly choice to make, but at least what he'd done had given her a chance. If she'd been with him now she'd be in real tangible danger. He didn't doubt that April would've made good on her threat to break his baby's bones. She might've done it just for the fun of it and the very thought made his stomach clench with revulsion. He'd done the right thing, but he still felt like a monster for having done it.

Whatever was in store for him, he'd fight every step of the way. There's not way he'd give April what she wanted. Philip Burton had been a snake and the worst of villains. The world was better off without him. Connor made himself relax and preserve his strength. He ran several scenarios and ideas through his head about how to handle all that was to come. He focused on his family, vowing to keep them in the forefront of his mind to remind himself not to give in. He'd already failed them once this day, he'd not do it again.

!*!*!

Eye Patch guided Abby towards a nearby bench while the others scoured the area and coordinated with the ARC to search for Connor. Leia had Abby in a fierce grip, her limbs wrapped securely around her mother. She'd stopped her wailing but continued to weep, hiccup and snivel. Abby wrapped her blanket around her and Leia lay her head to Abby's chest. Eye Patch sat with them and took Leia's hand in his, kissing her little palm and fingers. Then, he wiped the tears from her eyes and leaned in to kiss her cheek. He didn't speak to her yet, knowing she wasn't ready. Abby rubbed circles on her back and hummed a lullaby while Eye Patch continued to hold her hand and look into her eyes, calming her with his loving gaze. Even in the dark Leia could see and feel her father's comforting strength and little by little she calmed.

"Leia, baby?" Abby crooned in a soft voice. "Do you know where Daddy is?"

Leia cowered and whimpered.

"It's okay, Kitten," Eye Patch continued. "You're safe now. But we need your help to find Daddy. Can you tell us what happened?"

The little girl nodded her head and squeezed Abby tighter. "The bad lady, Papa," she whispered. Abby and Connor met each other's eyes, reflecting both shock and horror between them. April. The wretched woman not only was connected to Philip Burton, she'd also tried to proposition their husband the previous year. There'd been not a sound from her since she'd left the ARC's employment that fateful day, but obviously she'd not disappeared from their lives. Instead she'd been plotting some sort of revenge and now Connor was in the middle of it.

"Was she alone, Kitten?" Leia shook her head and held up two fingers for her Papa to see. "Two other people?"

"They were big and mean... they... they hurt Daddy!" Her tears started up again and she buried her face at Abby's chest. Abby gasped and looked up to the sky, blinking back tears as she held fast to her baby girl.

"What did Daddy ask you to do? Did he tell you to stay quiet and stay hidden?"

"Yes, Papa," we her meek, tiny reply.

"Okay, Kitten, you don't have to say anymore. Mummy's going to take you home now."

"No! Have to find Daddy!" The look of indignation and determination on her face was quintessentially a Maitland-Temple one. Eye Patch was proud of his daughter, but she needed solace and comfort, not to be drawn into a search for her other father.

"Papa will find Daddy and bring him home. That's a promise." He looked up into Abby's eyes as he finished his sentence. "Take her home, Danny, Becker and I will find out everything we can, we'll get the boys here and the ARC working on it. Trust me, love, I'll bring him home."

"I do, you know that. I want to be with you though," Abby protested.

"But our daughter needs you more." She nodded, agreeing with him. Eye Patch kissed her, taking strength from the urgency with which she kissed him back. He pressed his lips to his daughter's tear stained cheek and told her that he loved her, promising once again to bring her Daddy home. He rose and walked away from them, barking out orders to the men to search the area for clues. Next he was on the phone to the ARC, demanding every shred of information about April Leonard to be amassed. He wanted the city's CCTV tapped into and every image from that afternoon onward that was located along the streets Connor would've walked to be screened and dissected. He wanted no stone unturned, to lead not exhausted.

He came back to the spot where Georgia had found the blood and knelt down, illuminating it with a torch. He recognized Connor's footprints in the dirt. There hadn't been much of a struggled and Eye Patch knew why. He'd given himself up to keep where he'd hidden Leia protected. He'd been brave and selfless, just as he or Abby would've done in his place. He wiped the tears from his eyes and forced himself to shut off his emotions. He needed to put the mask on, he needed to be the Connor that fought Future Predators and commanded a platoon of men. He needed to be that man for Connor's sake.

Eva came up to him and nudged his shoulder with her snout. She sniffed at the blood and began following a trail through the park. Eye Patch followed. He'd find their husband, no matter the cost.

Abby continued to walk back towards the car, carrying Leia close while Becker escorted them. He was sending two of his men to the flat with her for her own protection. Abby knew her older Connor wouldn't give up until they had their husband back. She only wished she could help him, but for the time being Leia needed her most of all. She kissed her baby's tear stained cheek and held her tight. April was going to pay for what she'd done, one way or another.

!*!*

The drive seemed eternally long before they finally stopped. They were outside of London, that much Connor knew, where however he hadn't a any idea. As he was dragged from the van and made to walk as the two men held firmly to his arms. He discerned both gravel and asphalt beneath his feet. There was the sound of a metal door opening and then the surface beneath his feet changed to a harder, smoother one. His footsteps echoed all around him, as did the tapping of April's heels. He figured they were in a large space, possibly a warehouse. He was put into an elevator and taken up a long shoot that lasted a good thirty seconds. Lastly, they entered a room. The temperature dropped and there was a faint hum of computer fans as well as the air circulating. He was sat in a chair and finally the sack was removed from his head. Connor breathed in the unimpeded air and winced against the brightness of the fluorescent lights above.

He was in a lab, one very similar to his own at the ARC.

"Philip had this built long ago, he wanted to recruit you to work for Prospero, you know?" April explained as she came to stand beside him. "I couldn't fathom why at the time, as I am every bit as brilliant as you are. However, I see the difference between us now. I suppose all your lonely nights spent reading science fiction must have nourished a creative mind, where as I can play Stravinsky on the violin. You must've advanced your research quite a bit in the last year. I need you to open that anomaly for me, Connor, I need him back!"

Connor broke away from her, rising and walking about the lab. "You two were having an affair were you?" April sniffed derisively and Connor shook his head. He relaxed back in the chair and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I could say something about dumb blondes, but my wife would kill me." He chuckled to himself and watched as April's face darkened.

"Connor, I should warn you, I have very little patience. This moment has been a year in the making..."

"And you just expect me to submit like a good dog and do your bidding? You're completely daft, you know that? In fact I'd go so far to say you're absolutely crackers. So was Burton, mind you." April advanced with a snarl and went to slap him, but he caught her wrist and pushed her away. "You can't have these two Neanderthals beat me up - you need me head in tact, as well as the rest of me to do the work. You don't have my daughter, nor my husband or my wife, so you have no leverage. Basically April, we're at an impasse, so I suggest you let me go and you get yourself out of the country before Abby get her hands on you for daring to harm a hair on our daughter's head."

"Put him in the cell!" April roared. Connor smirked and held out his arms for the brutes to carry him off by. They weren't exactly gentle as they tossed him into the cell beneath the staircase back on ground level. It was less of cell and more of a storeroom. They'd not covered his eyes as they'd hauled him down the three flights of stairs, not bothering with the elevator. He'd guessed correctly, they were in a warehouse. Above was the lab as well as a few offices, the second floor was an observation platform and encircled the entire perimeter. The main floor however was what was most interesting. There was a command station before a large central structure that was abandoned whilse under construction. It did interest Connor to find out just what it was meant to be. He'd have to investigate further. Perhaps if he played along for a little bit, he could fish around inside the computer systems and find himself a few answers. For the time being however, he was going to take a nap. There was no sense in spending energy he didn't have. He lamented that he'd lost the sack with the cough syrup he'd picked up at the chemist's. The scratch in his throat and the sinus pressure didn't make for the most comfortable of conditions. He sat himself down on the floor with his back to the wall and closed his eyes.

His last thought was of his daughter, hoping and praying that she was already back with Connor and Abby. He had faith that she was, but until he set his own eyes upon her sweet face, the tense grip of fear around his heart would not loosen.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Abby sat in the big arm chair in their living room with her dozing daughter in her lap. It was the same chair they'd spent many nights in before - when Leia had been a baby and Abby had nursed her; when the baby had a fever or cold and Abby couldn't bear to put her down; and now when they were both scared for their younger Connor. Becker had left them once he'd got them settled. Abby had given Leia a bath, fed her supper, put her in her pajamas, then taken her to the arm chair so they could both rest and find comfort in each other's arms. Her daughter was quiet, and insisting upon holding on to the cotton shirt Connor had left with her. She lay with her head pillowed on Abby's breasts, tucked up tight against her mother while Abby rubbed her back and pressed kisses to the top of her head.

Eventually Leia couldn't help but fall asleep, and it was shortly there after that Abby heard the sound their front door being unlatched. For a moment her heart was full of joy and relief, but it was short lived when the dogs came up the stairs and quietly went to their respective spots and her elder Connor followed up after them, alone.

Abby blinked back tears as she looked across the divide between her and Connor. He looked tired and broken, unable to meet her eyes.

"What if he's..." Abby began, but stopped when her voice cracked with emotion.

"He's not!" Connor replied vehemently. His voice was softer as he spoke again. "We'd know, wouldn't we? We'd feel it."

"Daddy?" Leia asked groggily, blinking her eyes and searching for her father. She saw her Papa and her bottom lip began to tremble, Eye Patch came forwards and knelt down, laying his hand to his little girl's face.

"Sorry, Kitten, it's only Papa," he spoke, reigning in his emotions as best he could.

"Where's Daddy?" Huge, fat tears threatened to spill from her eyes and Abby held her a little tighter.

"I don't know yet, baby, but soon, I promise." He looked into his daughter's eyes and spoke again with total conviction. "I promise."

Leia nodded her head in acceptance and Eye Patch leaned in to kiss her cheek. Then, he wrapped his arms around both his girls and took strength in the love he felt for them. He'd not disappoint them. He'd not fail them, or Connor. He released them and stood again.

"Why don't you two go to bed?" he suggested.

"I doubt either of us could really sleep," Abby sighed wearily. "She'll nod off again though, if I'm holding her. What are you going to do?"

"I've got the ARC working on finding out all they can about April, her past and her connection to Burton. They're sending me every speck of information they find. I'll go through it, find the links, put the pieces together. April wanted him for a reason and I can only assume it has something to do with that bastard. When she propositioned Connor last year, she asked him about opening anomalies. There's got to be something to that. I dunno, I'll know the answer when I see it." He bent down and kissed her lips as he cupped the side of her face. "I'll find him."

"I know. I don't doubt you. I'm just scared."

"Me too. I should get to work. Cuppa coffee?"

Abby shook her head and instead shifted in her seat so that she and Leia could recline on their sides. Eye Patch fetched the chenille blanket from the back of the couch and lay it over them. Leia was asleep in minutes and Abby followed shortly there after, despite her efforts to remain awake. He made himself a strong cup of coffee and sat down in front of Connor's laptop. He had a long night ahead of him.

!*!*!

Connor knew going in it was a long shot that he'd find out just what April's plans were apart from resurrecting her dead lover and mentor. He was actually quite surprised he was able to penetrate her security protocols and get as deep as he did before she figured out what he was up to. He'd conceded to April that he supposed it wouldn't hurt to at least see where she was in her own research. She had been so pleased with his compliance that she'd readily allowed him access to the systems. Once he was found out, things had fallen apart for him instantly and much to his detriment.

April had a very short temper and a rather hysterical streak when she didn't get what she wanted. One of her hired thugs had given him a good punch up, but Connor didn't think any bones had been broken or that he'd lose and teeth. However, he knew his shoulder had been dislocated and the fact that he now found himself back in the storage room handcuffed to a pipe, he could do nothing to pop it back into place. He was in agony, exhausted and thirsty. He didn't doubt that Connor, Abby and the rest of the ARC would be doing all they could to track him down, but he hoped they'd hurry it up.

His head lulled and he groaned, pain flaring in his left arm and radiating down his back. He breathed steadily, trying desperately to overcome the intensity of the pain and not pass out. Discovering the truth beyond April's desires to bring Burton back to life had shaken him deeply. The came across schematics and outlines for a machine that was part of a project titled New Dawn that intended to exploit anomaly energy. While Connor could see the benefits of having untapped, endless clean energy, he knew within a few moments of assimilating the information that it could never have worked. One couldn't exploit nature on such a grand scale without there being casualties. It would take years to troubleshoot for all the potential consequences, not the mere months Burton had allowed in his plans. The fact that he wanted Connor to be the head of research and development made his blood run cold. Philip Burton had been an egomaniacal and evil man who belonged six feet under. Connor would die before he allowed April to bring him back.

Death was most definitely on his mind. He was fairly certain that he'd been left to perish on his own. He was also pretty sure his head cold and sore throat were coming back, or maybe he'd caught pneumonia instead. The human body could survive three to five days without water before dehydration caused death, and if no one found him or came back for him, Connor believed that was how he'd leave this world. His only solace was that he'd not given in, and that Abby and their Connor still had each other and that Leia would grow up under the loving care of a wonderful father. He smiled to himself, picturing his family before he succumbed and fell into unconsciousness.

!*!*!

It was nearly 6am when the breakthrough finally came. April's past hadn't shown him much. She'd come from money and had the best of educations. She'd done drama and fancied becoming an actress before abandoning the idea and pursuing the sciences like her parents wanted. She'd been headhunted by Prospero Industries straight out of University and moved quickly from general lab assistant to Burton's personal one. When he'd become involved with the ARC, she'd overseen Prospero's interests and headed up several projects under his guidance. When the incident in which Eye Patch had been trapped on the other side of an anomaly in the frozen Himalayas had occurred and the ousting of Burton that followed, April had stayed on at the ARC. However, she had been demoted back to where she'd started at Prospero, only even further down the ranks as part of the ARC alone.

When she'd propositioned Connor and subsequently been made to leave the ARC, she'd more or less fallen off their radar. She hadn't a need for a job with her parents money to live off of, plus it seemed that Burton had left much of Prospero's assets in Trust for her. Burton had died and left himself a rather interesting legacy in April Leonard. That was when the penny finally dropped. What else could April want with Connor other than the knowledge and creativity that only he possessed? Eye Patch had the same mind as he younger self, but his years fighting had made him a much different man, one of action. Connor on the other hand was primarily research and technology. He was the brain of the ARC. Only he, with the right tools at his disposal, would be able to open an anomaly to any time and place he, or someone else, wanted. April wanted to bring back Philip Burton.

Seconds later, Eye Patch was scouring the lists of properties own by Burton or Prospero. There were several that could possibly be both remote enough as well capable of being outfitted with the sort of lab needed to house an anomaly project of its own. He next placed a call to Sarah, waking her from sleep, but earning her assurance she'd come straight over to look after Leia. He knew Abby would want to come with him and Leia loved Sarah like family. Lastly, he contacted Becker and Danny, instructing them to each take teams to one of three locations to search for Connor. He and Abby would go to the third and to please send soldiers to meet them there to assist.

He went to Abby and gently jostled her shoulder. She opened her eyes and knew the moment she looked into his and saw the hope in them, she knew that they were getting their husband back.

!*!*!

It was a old power station that had been acquired by Prospero Industries shortly before Burton had become involved with the ARC. He had amassed similar properties before his death but its location on the outskirts of London was what had caught Eye Patch's interest. It was isolated and had been out of commission for years. If Burton was going to be carrying on anything he didn't want the authorities or the ARC to aware of, this would be the place to do it.

Eye Patch stopped the ARC vehicle outside the gate. He checked his gun and returned it to its holster, then reached across to take hold of Abby's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. She was stone faced and her eyes looked harder than he'd ever seen them. As much as he was wanted to take April and toss through an anomaly into the middle of the Silurian Era, he actually felt a bit sorry for her. Abby could be extremely scary sometimes, especially when it came to protecting their family.

A few moments later four of Becker's men arrived. Eye Patch and Abby got out and went around to the other SUV. The six of them convened around the computer that the younger Connor had outfitted each ARC vehicle with. It was meant to screen for any anomaly, creature or technological activity. Connor had been developing the software for the past year or so while he and Eye Patch had been constructing the hardware that housed it. While anomalies were predictable and easy to close, they took no chances with public safety and there were always unforeseen variables.

Eye Patch ran the program and almost immediately the location in the building of various computer and power sources lit up the screen before them. Next, in calibration with the infrared detection system that Connor had also outfitted the vehicles with, the computer zoned in on four warm bodies in the facility. All four were on ground level, two in one room, and the other larger two stood sentry at separate doors.

Eye Patch ordered the soldiers to break into pairs and take out the two standing guard. He and Abby would take the two in the room below the stairs. Eye Patch was fairly certain they were April and Connor. He messaged Becker and Danny, updating them on the situation before they began their approach to the building. Moving swiftly and silently, Eye Patch led Abby around the massive edifice to one of the unguarded entrances. Finding it locked, Eye Patch wanted to attempt to force it, but Abby had another idea. There was an open window not too far away and with a boost from her husband, Abby managed to pull herself through. Moments later she had the door open and together they stalked towards where they hoped to find Connor.

!*!*!

April finished eating her cheeseburger and took a few more gulps on her large soda. Sat on a chair on the other side of the storeroom where Connor was handcuffed to a pipe, she was revelling in her further torture of him. Connor's stomach growled and rumbled with hunger and his throat was dry as a bone bleached white in the desert. Furthermore, his lungs and throat ached something fierce. He was drained of energy and the will to mentally or verbally spar with April any longer. She'd come back to taunt him after leaving him over night. The hour spent on the cold, hard concrete had certainly worsened his health. The scent of the food she'd brought with her made him feel even worse, but he'd not let it show. She'd babbled on and on about Philip Burton, then taunted him by telling him how his lovers had failed to come for him and how his daughter had probably died in the night from hypothermia. He ignored her and searched deep inside for the faith he had in his Abby and Connor. They'd not fail him or Leia. It was unfathomable to him.

When he and April both heard the sound of a scuffle out in the expanse of the warehouse, Connor knew all would be over soon. They'd come for him.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Connor couldn't help himself, he laughed at the surprised expression on April's face. She really was a fool. All her schemes and months of planning had been for naught. She'd underestimated the Temple family and their friends. There were a few dull, quick thuds that Connor recognized as gunfire through silencers. He hadn't noticed April's men having guns on them, so he assumed it was either Eye Patch or ARC soldiers firing their weapons. There was a strangled scream and Connor knew it was the one that had dislocated his arm that had just been taken out.

"Abby's gonna kick your arse into next year," Connor wheezed, struggling not to cough.

"Damn you!" April cursed under her breath before throwing open the door and making a run for it. He watched her go for a moment before his vision blurred and his head lolled. He hoped they'd get to him soon. He was very tired of being a prisoner. He wanted water, food, a bath, to hold his family and to sleep. He wanted all those things, but most of all he wanted to see his daughter, safe and sound. Exhaustion overwhelmed him and his eyes fluttered closed. His body slumped and he went limp. He'd be as patient as possible, knowing there was no help for it. They'd be with him as soon as they could. His only regret was that he wouldn't witness April's comeuppance.

!*!*!

April exited the room just in time to see Connor's spouses making their way towards her. She stopped short and narrowed her eyes at them. Upstairs in Philip's office was his gun. If she could get to it in time, she could shoot them before they got to her. They'd not take her without a fight. She could dispose of the three of them. Without them in the picture, she could still possibly seize the ARC. She still had what was left of Burton's fortune at her disposal.

Breaking into a run, April dashed up the stairs towards the lab and Burton's office as quick as she could.

Eye Patch and Abby shared a look and then Abby was off in pursuit, furious and eager to avenge her husband and daughter. Abby gained quick ground, April hampered by her ridiculous high heeled shoes and slowing herself down by repeatedly checking over her shoulder. Abby slowed her gait and stalked towards the other woman. April dashed into Burton's office and fumbled in the drawers of the desk in search of his gun. Seizing the weapon, she spun around and held it aloft, just as Abby made it to the threshold of the door. She halted her advanced and stared hard at Philip Burton's paramour, fists clenched tightly at her side.

"Stop right there, Abby," April said with sly smirk. "I won't hesitate to pull the trigger. In fact there's nothing preventing me from killing you right now."

"Nothing except the fact that you're a coward," Abby replied, her voice even and calm. Abby's eyes were dark and menacing. The slight way April's hand shook as she held the gun, gave her away and Abby took a few steps forwards into the room. She stared her down and Abby grew bolder as she saw a glimmer of fear behind April's eyes. "You scared my baby," Abby seethed. "You put her in danger. After what you've done... You've messed with my family for the last time, April."

April straightened her back, determined to shoot, but Abby was already on the attack. She kicked the gun from her enemy's hand with a high sweep of her foot. The weapon went flying to the corner of the office, far out of either woman's reach. Abby followed up with a solid punch to April's midsection, making the woman double over and nearly retch. Next came a swift upper cut that sent April to the ground. Abby very much wanted to continue to pummel April, but her desire to see her Connor outweighed the temporary satisfaction of getting her revenge on April. The beaten woman groaned and struggled back to her feet, disoriented and dazed. Abby took one last look at her and tensed her fist before unleashing a mighty right hook straight to April's jaw.

Abby hissed and shook her hand, tensing and releasing her fingers. She'd knocked April out cold, but had regretfully cut open her knuckles as she'd quite effectively knocked two teeth from April's mouth. Abby sought for and found the gun, laughing to herself when she found the clip was empty of bullets. Returning to April, she grabbed the woman by her hair and dragged her limp body into the hallway where was she met by one of the soldiers, Monroe, who was a good friend of Eye Patch's.

"I think it's time Helen Cutter had a cellmate, don't you?" Abby said, dropping April at his feet.

"I'll secure her with the other two, Mrs. Temple," Monroe replied. With a nod, Abby was off, eager to be reunited with her Connors.

!*!*!

"Jesus..." Eye Patch gasped as he finally set eyes upon Connor. He stopped and stared for a moment at the younger man's limp, bruised body, propped up against the wall. He'd been brutalized and judging by the way his left shoulder dropped, some serious damage had been done. Connor's pallor was pale and his eyes were closed. Eye Patch gave himself a mental shake and quickly closed the distance between them. He went to the ground, taking his love's face in his hands and pulling his head up.

"Conn? C'mon, love," Eye Patch cajoled, giving Connor a light smack to his face. "Answer me..."

Connor took in a breath which was followed by a rattling wheeze in his chest. His eyes opened to mere slits and he began to shake. "Leia... Leia..." he moaned.

"She's safe! She's at home with Sarah. We found her. Understand me?"

Connor nodded weakly, a smile registering on his face. Eye Patch leaned in and kissed his forehead, stroking his hair, infinitely relieved his and Abby's husband had been found. Eye Patch kissed Connor's parched lips and felt heartened as the kiss was returned, however weakly.

Eye Patch made quick work of removing the handcuffs from Connor's left wrist. A few moments later, Tom Reardon appeared, having been dispatched from the ARC the moment the call had gone out that they'd found Connor's likely location. The ARC's resident doctor knelt down next to Eye Patch, laying a comforting hand to his shoulder, prompting the older man to move to the side and let the doctor do his work. Tom checked Connor's vitals.

"He's badly dehydrated," Tom concluded. "There's fluid in his lungs too, they're functioning far from capacity. We need to get him to the ARC quickly. As to his shoulder - have you ever set one? The sooner it's back in the better. I can do it myself, but I think he'll forgive you a little easier than me for the pain it'll cause him."

Eye Patch nodded. "More than once, my own included." He quickly unbuckled his belt and pulled it out of the loops, then touched the side of Connor's again. "We need to put your shoulder back in. Can you handle it?"

"Yeah... just do it," Connor spoke, barely above a whisper.

"Bite down on this." Eye Patch set the belt between Connor's teeth and kissed his forehead again. "Okay, love, here goes. It'll hurt like hell, but I promise once it's back in place, it'll feel a whole lot better. Ready?"

Connor nodded weakly, gnashing his teeth against Eye Patch's belt. He closed his eyes, whimpering as his love manipulated the arm to the right angle, then folded Connor's elbow to a ninety degree angle. One hand moved to Connor's forearm and Eye Patch pressed his knee against his husband's hip. With a slight pull, followed by a guided solid push, the shoulder popped back into its socket and Connor cried out in agony around the leather. Eye Patch let him go and moved in closer, kissing his love's temple and murmuring soft apologies. He wiped away the sweat and tears from Connor's eyes and gently eased the belt form between Connor's teeth. The younger man moaned and let out a ragged breath, nearly fainting dead away. Eye Patch caressed the side of his face, their foreheads touching, and the two connected silently as they so often did. Words weren't needed in order to feel the love they shared.

They remained still until the two medics that had come with Tom arrived on the scene with a gurney. Eye Patch reluctantly parted from his love and let the others care for him. Connor was spent, injured and in a haze and Eye Patch thought it a mercy. As the medic injected him with painkillers and Eye Patch took a step back and looked outside of the room, scanning for any sign of Abby. When he saw her approaching and the her bruised, torn and bloody knuckles he knew something heavy had gone down between her and April. The fact that Abby hadn't a mark on her otherwise told him his wife had given April no quarter.

Connor was being carried out moments later on the gurney and as soon as Abby saw him, she burst into tears, rushing to his side.

"Connor!" she gasped.

"We've given him a mild sedative, Mrs. Temple, he likely doesn't know you're here," one of the medics informed her as she lay her hands upon Connor's listless, still body. He made no acknowledgment of her presence, his eyes glazed over and jaw slack.

"Oh Connor," Abby sighed, cupping the side of his face.

"We need to get him to the ARC, love," Eye Patch spoke, laying his hands on her shoulders and gently guiding her back. They followed as Connor was carried out, holding on to each other, hearts beating furiously in their chests, overwrought with concern for their third. The road to recovery would be a long one for Connor and their family, but the worst of it was over. They'd found him, rescued him and together, they'd mend.

!*!*!

The ARC had its own small, self contained hospital of sorts. There was an operating theatre that also served as the triage centre, a recovery room and Tom Reardon's office. There wasn't much call for emergencies now that the Connors had successfully found a way to predict and close anomalies, but every now and again Tom's services were needed beyond being the resident doctor on call dealing with common all garden check ups. Tom's two assistants transferred Connor to one of the hospital beds as Tom continued to examine and tend to him. Abby and Eye Patch hovered, holding on to each other tightly, relieved that their husband was in good hands, but still worried for him. Fortunately for Connor he was in a dazed state, not particularly aware of what was going on around him.

They hooked him up to IVs with saline and glucose to hydrate him as well as antibiotics to see to the infection in his lungs. His ribs were wrapped, though Tom didn't suspect any breaks - X-rays would be taken later for confirmation. The blows to his face garnished only bruises, but it was Connor's dislocated shoulder that would give him the most trouble. It was put into a tight sling to immobilize it. When all was said and done, Connor was left to rest comfortably with Eye Patch watching over him as Abby rushed home to fetch their daughter.

Connor eventually came around, groaning and coughing, his chest tight and his body aching. However, along with his pains came the soothing touch of familiar lips upon his brow.

"Connor, love," Eye Patch whispered. "I'm here, you're in the ARC."

"Hey," Connor replied hoarsely, opened his eyes and smiling at the sight of his husband. Eye Patch lay his hand to the side of Connor's face and leaned in to kiss his lips, then his forehead again.

"Hey yourself. Abby'll be back soon, she'd bringing Leia." The look that came over Connor's face was one of pure pain and sorrow, but Eye Patch was quick to comfort and assuage him. "None of that. She's your daughter and she loves you. She's also been worried out of her little head over you. Listen, you did what you had to. If April had got her hands on our girl... I don't even want to think about it. You did the right thing, the only thing, that you could've to protect her. I for one, will always be eternally grateful." The two men stared into each others eyes, Connor with his jaw clenched tight and tears stinging his eyes. Eye Patch broke the tension with a laugh. "After you've had a little time to heal up, I'm gonna give you the blowjob of a lifetime. I think you deserve it after all you've been through." Connor smiled and sighed, then reached out with his arm and the two wrapped each other up in an all encompassing hug.

"Don't let go for a while, okay?" Connor begged.

"More than okay. I love you."

"Love you too."

!*!*!

Connor learned the details of his rescue from Eye Patch, telling the whole story as a matter of fact, leaving out the scene at the park with their sobbing, terrified daughter, though Connor imagined it well enough on his own. He knew he'd have nightmares about what he'd done to Leia. The two men held hands and spoke quietly as Connor in turn explained just why April had kidnapped him and all he'd experienced at her hand. There'd be time later to put together a report for Danny and Lester.

The quiet of the room was quite suddenly interrupted by the door swinging open and a chubby little girl with dark hair and bright blue eyes bursting in with an excited exclamation of, "Daddy!" Abby came in a second later, having chased the child down the hall when Leia broke away from her mother in anticipation of being reunited with her father. There was no stopping little Leia as she scrambled and jumped in an effort to get up on to the bed with Connor, who was too overwhelmed at seeing his daughter again to react much beyond wide eyed shock. Eye Patch went to lend a hand and rose from the bed to walk around to pick the girl up, but before he could, she managed to climb up herself. There was no hesitation on their daughter's part as she threw herself against Connor chest and squeezed her arms around his neck. Shaking and already with tears running down his cheeks, Connor encompassed her body with his free arm, pressing a kiss into her hair.

The little girl said nothing, holding tight to her Daddy, finally at ease now that she could hug him again and know that he was safe. Connor cried, which set off Abby, and Eye Patch too. He tried to speak, to offer some sort of apology to his daughter for having abandoned her, but he couldn't seem to bring forth the words. He let out a ragged gasp and his face crumbled. He'd been through too much in the past two days to be able to assimilate it all. The fact that Leia gave him so much love and had no qualms about what had happened utterly broke him.

Eye Patch thought it best to intervene. While Connor showed them his love and devotion with ease and great emotion, showing what he perceived to be weakness was something he hated. His frustrating and lonely teen years being bullied had conditioned him to do his best to maintain an air of control. He was supposed to be strong and invincible in their daughter's eyes and she'd seen him beaten and dragged away. Eye Patch knew all too well what it would take for Connor to put it behind him.

Eye Patch put his hand to their daughter's back, gaining her attention. "I bet Daddy's needs a nice cup of tea," he spoke. "Why don't you come with Papa to get him some, eh Kitten?"

Leia turned her head to question her other father. Connor cleared his throat and forced a smile. "Would love a cuppa," he choked out.

"Ok, Daddy," Leia replied, giving his cheek a kiss before allowing Eye Patch to pick her up and carry her out of the room. As they passed Abby, she gave her older Connor a pat on the back for his insight. She watched them go before turning back to her younger Connor. She'd not had a chance to reconnect with him yet, too eager to bring him Leia first. She approached the bed while he wiped his tears away, unable to even look at her. She sat at his side and Connor looked down, obviously uncomfortable in her presence.

"I had a talk with her on the way here," Abby began. "She understands why you had to leave her. Halloween's in a month, she'll have forgotten all about this by then. She's decided she wants to be an Ewok. I figured we could all go as Star Wars characters."

"Abby..." His voice was tight with emotion. She remembered that he was still sick and probably felt terrible in all sorts of ways. She gently cupped the side of his face with her wounded and bandaged hand and raise his head, meeting his eyes with nothing but love and tenderness.

"We were so scared... _I _was so scared that I was going to lose you. You're the first man I ever loved, Connor, you're everything to me. What you did, what you survived has just made me love you all the more. You are so strong and brave. Protecting our baby like you did..."

"I left her!" he exclaimed. "I left her alone in the park where anything could've happened to her! Anyone could've taken her!" He was letting his emotions out finally and Abby was there to help him weather the awful purging she knew was to come. When they'd first got together she'd cried herself sick as she told him about her terrible childhood and her uncaring, cruel mother. He'd been there for her and now she could finally return the favour. "You should hate me for what I did! She's your baby, Abby! You carried her for nine months, you gave birth to her and you nursed her for a whole year! Anything could've happened to her in the park. Anything! I can't be forgiven for just leaving her, can I?"

"Hush, Connor. Stop. Of course you can be forgiven. Conn and I, we understand. We've have done the same under those circumstances."

He shook his head, disbelieving her words. Abby took his face in both her hands. His deluge of ears were no surprise, he'd been through so much in the past couple of days. He was incredibly strong, yet didn't seem to realize it. He'd allowed himself to be taken, beaten and tortured to protect their daughter and family.

Abby gently placed her lips upon his for a soft, warm kiss. His shoulders shook as he tried to reign in his emotions, but Abby deepened the kiss, her fingers weaving into his hair while her tongue caressed his. "All's forgiven, Connor. I love you. As far as me, Connor and Leia are concerned you're a hero."

He sniffed and nodded his head. While he accepted her words, both knew it would be a while before he believed them. At this moment, all he wanted was to go home. He wrapped his good arm around Abby's waist and hugged her, breathing a little easier as she she wrapped hers around his neck and drew him near, kissing the crown of his head. Abby rubbed his back and held him. Neither spoke a word, but felt the attendant comfort of being together. They were each other's first loves and that bond had only deepened over time and the expansion of their family to include their husband and daughter. April hadn't stood a chance of defeating them, they were all Temples and that made them something special.

They drew apart when they heard the footsteps of their other Connor entering the room. He had Leia in his arms, securely balanced on his hip. The toddler held firmly to her Papa's shirts, with her eyelids drooping, barely able to stay awake. He'd brought tea, but set it aside.

Connor lay back against the pillows, wincing at the pain in his left shoulder. Abby rose and reached for her daughter, who in turn sought her mother's embrace. Leia yawned and snuggled against Abby's chest. "Shall we go home to bed, baby?" Abby asked.

"Is Daddy coming home?" she asked, yawning again. Abby turned to Eye Patch who smiled at them both.

"Yeah, Daddy's coming with us," the older Connor said with a huge grin. "We can't all fit in this tiny bed, can we? So we best take him home with us, eh?" Eye Patch walked over to Connor, giving his thigh an affectionate rub before looking into the familiar dark eyes of his other self. "Tom's given you the all clear. What do you say? A good night's sleep in a comfy bed with your family?" The look of sheer relief and gratitude on Connor's face said it all. There was nothing he wanted more.

A few hours later, all was quiet in the Temple home. Despite his ordeal, Connor found it difficult to sleep. He was ensconced in the middle of the king sized bed with Eye Patch snoring lightly on his left. The older man had insisted he take Connor's usual spot as he'd be less likely to jostled his injured left shoulder, where as Abby tended to move around quite a lot in her sleep, throwing her limbs over one husband or the other. Abby was to his right, laying on her side towards him. Her beauty never ceased to take his breath away, even more so when she was in slumber. Between them was their daughter, curled up against her mum sleeping soundly. Connor let out a shaky breath. He found it easier to put behind him what had been done to him, than what he'd done to Leia. He kept seeing her terrified, confused face as he hid her in the bushes, her trying to understand his instructions and be a good girl for her Daddy. Worst case scenarios flashed before his eyes. What if Connor and Abby hadn't found her first? It was all too terrible to contemplate and yet he couldn't stop himself from imagining it.

He hadn't realized how hard he was crying until he felt the soft pats of of his little girl's hands on his cheeks, wiping away his tears. He sniffed and blinked rapidly to clear his vision. She was knelt beside him in her purple flannel pajamas, her sweet face loving and concerned.

"Don't cry, Daddy, it's okay," she spoke. "Mummy said so."

"And Mummy knows best, doesn't she?" he replied, his voice tight with emotion. Leia nodded and smiled, looking hopeful. Connor looked into her bright blue eyes and spoke. "I love you, Princess."

"I love you, Daddy." She hugged him, and didn't let go, settling herself against him, her face buried at the crook of his neck and falling back asleep. Connor wrapped his arm around her and held her close. She had forgiven him. It eased the pain in his heart, and time would take it away completely. For how, he held his daughter and tried to look forward to a time when the names of Philip Burton and April Leonard were long forgotten.

Connor sighed and closed his eyes, letting sleep claim him, surrounded by the love of his spouses and their darling daughter.

The End


End file.
